No and not are the two most common words we use to indicate negation.
No refers to a noun (used before a noun without an article) and it is usually used to mean something like not any or not a/an. No tells you there are zero of something:
No students joined the program. (= There weren’t any students who joined the program.)
No man is perfect. (= There aren’t any perfect men.)
She has got no children. (= She hasn’t got any children.)
Not always refers to a verb which it negates, to show the opposite of an action. We use not with any other phrase or clause.
He is not cooking dinner tonight.
You cannot go to Jack’s house.
Not suitable for children under 15.
A:Do you go cycling all year round?
B:Not in the winter.
Not:
No in the winter.
We often use no to respond to a yes-no question, or to agree with a negative statement:
A:Do you need anything from the shops?
B:No. I went earlier, thanks.
A:He’s not going to get any better.
B:No. You’re right.
We use no and not in some common fixed expressions:
A:When you see Alan, can you give him this letter?
B:Yes sure, no problem.
She had no idea what time they were arriving.
It’s no good standing around watching. Do something!
You’ve got no chance of getting a ticket now. They’re all sold out.
It’s not worth taking a taxi. We can walk.
In some cases the structures verb + not and no + noun can have similar meanings.
There wasn’t any reply. = There was no reply.
No is used with:
Adjectives preceding a noun without an article
I checked the website, but there are no red dresses.
There were no late trains today.
The school has no bad teachers.
Before verbal nouns (ending in -ing)
No smoking.
No playing in the street!
No texting during school!
Not is used with:
Nouns with an article, which are preceded by an adjective, and adjectives on their own
I liked the pink dress, but not the red one.
He is not a teacher; he is a student.
Josh is not friendly.
Before any, much, many, or enough
Not many amateur astronomers can afford the equipment necessary to study the nova.
There is not much budget left for another trial.
Exercise
Complete the following sentences with no or not.
1. We have …………………… .. money.
2. It is …………………. true.
3. He is …………………. stupid.
4. Now you see me, now you do ………………….
5. She has got…………………. friends.
6. She has ……………… got any money.
7. I can ……………….. come to your party tonight.
8. The store has …………….. ice cream!
9. It’s ……………. an impossible dream.
10. Kelly does ……………… read slowly.
Answers
1. We have no money.
2. It is not true.
3. He is no stupid.
4. Now you see me, now you do not.
5. She has got no friends.
6. She has not got any money.
7. I can not come to your party tonight.
8. The store has no ice cream!
9. It’s not an impossible dream.
10. Kelly does not read slowly.
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https://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/no-vs-not
https://leo.stcloudstate.edu/grammar/nonot.html
https://www.englishgrammar.org/difference-2/
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/no-or-not
